AARP Foundation program creates opportunities for seniors, host organizations

Jeff Elkins, The Norman Transcript, Okla.
·2 min read

Feb. 28—The charitable affiliate of the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older is expanding a program that provides employment for struggling senior citizens to Norman.

The Senior Community Service Employment Program was established in 1965 by the U.S. Congress in Title V of the Older Americans Act. The AARP Foundation is now the majority grant holder of the program, which subsidizes part-time community service employment for low-income individuals 55 and older.

According to a release by AARP, an estimated 3 million workers ages 50 and older are currently seeking full-time employment.

Kammie Reile, AARP Foundation business advisor, said this program helps get seniors employment and nonprofits receive assistance at no cost to them through a Department of Labor grant.

Participants are paid the minimum wage and work 18-20 hours a week, receiving training experience that prepares them for permanent unsubsidized employment.

With a new office in Norman, the AARP Foundation can more effectively offer this program locally, said Cynthia Polston, AARP Foundation assistant project director.

She said the foundation also has offices in Tulsa, Oklahoma City and McAllister.

"Just having someone present here all the time, someone can come directly to the office or call the office and get the help they need," Poston said. "If someone wants to be a part of the program anywhere in the state, our program likely covers that area."

Poston said many seniors are not technologically proficient, and it's important to offer training that helps them improve their tech skills, such as creating a digital resume and uploading it to job sites, or learning how to use a flash drive.

Poston said the program is mutually beneficial to the nonprofits and to the program's participants.

"We all know nonprofits are typically understaffed and under budgeted because there's just not enough money to go around, so it gives them some extra help while the participant is doing their training," Poston said. "It's a win-win situation, because the nonprofit organization needs help and the senior participants get training and earn a salary."

Poston said most of the participants are at or below poverty level, and the ideal outcome is getting mature workers into a situation where they can support themselves.

"When we place someone on a training assignment, we are helping them to leverage their scarce resources," Reile said. "Perhaps they're manning a front desk — that means that person is learning how to input new applicants into the computer system and that person is actually learning that skill."

Reile said the foundation is looking to expand and grow the program's host agencies, nonprofits and government agencies that can function as training sites.

For more information about the AARP Foundation SCSEP Program, contact the Norman AARP Foundation Office at 801-9960.

Jeff Elkins covers business, living and community stories for The Transcript. Reach him at Jelkins@normantranscript.com or at @JeffElkins12 on Twitter.